Taiwan News Quick Take

Agencies

Tue, Dec 31, 2013 - Page 4

HEALTH, SAFETY

Gas poisoning kills tourist

A Canadian tourist died in Taipei yesterday from carbon monoxide poisoning in the illegal hostel where she was staying, Taipei police said. A preliminary investigation by the police suggests that the tourist, along with five local women, might have been exposed to carbon monoxide released from a typical water boiler fueled by natural gas. The five local women, who notified the police after feeling dizzy, were brought to a hospital for treatment and later discharged. The deceased, identified only as “Lydia,” was said to have checked into the three-bedroom apartment in central Taipei after arriving in the country on Friday last week. She was due to leave Taiwan yesterday. The apartment is used illegally as a small hostel by two tenants, who have been questioned by the police.

EDUCATION

Taiwan No. 2 in Olympiad

A team of nine high-school students from Taiwan placed second in the just-ended Asian Inter-Cities Teenagers’ Mathematics Olympiad in Bogor, Indonesia, winning honors in team, group, and individual competitions. The Taiwanese math wizards won two first-prize trophies in the full-team competition, two group prizes (honoring the top three members of the team in a particular discipline), and five silver and three bronze medals in the individual events. The Philippine math team topped the Olympiad, while the team from Thailand placed third, according to event organizers. A total of 128 math wizards from 10 countries participated in the Olympiad hosted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education between, which ended yesterday. Other countries represented in the contest were China, India, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Iran, Kazakhstan and host Indonesia.

AVIATION

Discounts to offset price rises

While domestic airfares are set to rise by between 2 and 10 percent from tomorrow, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said yesterday it has negotiated with air carriers to offer discounts that help offset the impact. More than 80 percent of existing flights are to benefit from discounts, with one-quarter of off-peak flights discounted by 30 percent provided tickets are bought 14 days in advance, the CAA said. Off-peak flights are any leaving from outlying islands or eastern parts of Taiwan between 9am and 11am, or those departing to those areas between 2pm and 5pm. The discounts are expected to stimulate demand for domestic flights serving the country’s off-shore islands and eastern areas to increase carrier supply and promote tourism.

FOOD

Hotels start traceable menus

Four well-known hospitality brands are to start applying a food traceability system to their menus in early next year, to promote food safety following a year of food safety scandals and scares. The Agriculture Multi-Discipline Management of Technology (AMOT), a business group, announced yesterday that the participating brands are five-star hotel W Taipei, 60-year-old Peng Yuan Restaurant, food conglomerate Wow-Prime Group’s Hot-7 restaurant chain and Mellow Fields Hotel. The four would change their menus quarterly using the system, which provide text and video information on how and where the foods they sell were produced. AMOT said it is seeking more restaurants and hotels to join its program, which would also feature information in English and Japanese.